President Donald Trump offered unexpectedly warm praise for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday after a roughly 90-minute meeting at Gracie Mansion, saying he hoped the democratic socialist would prove to be a “great mayor.”
The White House Rapid Response account shared video of Trump delivering the conciliatory message following the private discussion.
“I certainly hope he will be a great mayor,” Trump said. “I want what’s good for New York. I want what’s good for the country.”
The New York Post reported that the meeting focused largely on immigration and Mamdani’s effort to secure federal support for a massive housing project in Queens.
Mamdani is seeking approximately $21 billion in federal grants to construct affordable housing over the rail tracks at Sunnyside Yard. He has described the proposed development as effectively creating an entirely new neighborhood.
The mayor said the project could produce 12,000 homes and 30,000 jobs.
The two leaders agreed to elevate discussions between City Hall’s housing and operations officials and the White House team. Neither side announced a federal funding commitment following the meeting.
Trump expressed familiarity with the location, saying he had watched proposals for Sunnyside Yard develop for decades and that officials have discussed building there for roughly 50 years.
Immigration emerged as another major subject following the Trump administration’s move to end temporary deportation protections for approximately 350,000 Haitian migrants.
Mamdani said he strongly emphasized the importance of Haitian New Yorkers to the city’s economy and social fabric. After Trump departed, the mayor said securing legal status for those migrants remained a priority for his administration.
The dispute has already placed Mamdani at odds with the White House and a recent Supreme Court ruling that allowed the Trump administration to terminate the protections.
Despite those disagreements, Mamdani thanked Trump for his attention to the city and said the pair discussed ways the federal and municipal governments could work together to reduce living costs for New Yorkers.
The visit also carried historical significance. Trump became the first sitting president to visit the mayor’s official residence since President Ronald Reagan met Mayor Ed Koch there in 1981.
Monday’s meeting marked the third face-to-face discussion between the political rivals since Mamdani won the mayoral election.
Their first White House meeting in November 2025 produced a surprisingly cordial exchange after the two had previously traded the labels “fascist” and “communist.” Trump later said he would feel comfortable living in a Mamdani-led New York.
They met privately again at the White House in February and have remained in contact through calls and text messages. Their unusual relationship even led Mamdani to suggest that he had become Trump’s favorite Democrat.
The friendly public display comes as Trump continues making opposition to socialism a central theme before the 2026 midterm elections.
Significant policy divisions remain. Trump has pressed Mamdani to fight crime more aggressively, assist with the removal of violent illegal immigrants and reverse tax policies that the president argues could drive residents and businesses out of New York.
The meeting ended without a major binding agreement, but it advanced talks over the Sunnyside Yard development and demonstrated that Trump and Mamdani are continuing to pursue cooperation despite their sharply different political agendas.
